A global, self‐consistent, hierarchical, high‐resolution shoreline database

TLDR

The authors provide a high‑resolution shoreline dataset that can be used to simplify data searches, selections, or to study shoreline and landmass statistics. The dataset, compiled from two public databases, has been extensively processed to eliminate inconsistencies, is represented as hierarchically arranged closed polygons, and is available electronically with software for decimation via a standard line‑reduction algorithm.

Abstract

We present a high‐resolution shoreline data set amalgamated from two databases in the public domain. The data have undergone extensive processing and are free of internal inconsistencies such as erratic points and crossing segments. The shorelines are constructed entirely from hierarchically arranged closed polygons. The data can be used to simplify data searches and data selections or to study the statistical characteristics of shorelines and landmasses. The data set can be accessed both electronically over Internet and from the National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado; it comes with access software and routines to facilitate decimation based on a standard line‐reduction algorithm.